TVL at Wellington

The Franklin’s solicitors Thames Valley league provided the occasion for Moreton to send  a team to Wellington for the first time in a competitive match.

Andrew Hamilton and Mark Maclure got things off to a good start for the visitors taking a rapid 1-6 lead against John East and Sam Corbett. Finding themselves at the Hazard end and in a comfortable position at the end of the set the Moreton pair chose to switch serving opponents and immediately took a giant stride towards balancing the two sides with the second set much more keenly fought. And it was very nearly keenly felt by the chairman who, guarding the galleries, was able to duck just in time to prevent himself from being the obstacle that prevented a Maclure backhand finding the winning galley. Moreton took the set 5-6 to claim the first rubber.

Next up were cousins Hattie Hamilton and Freddie Freeman (alteration abounds in the family) who continued the good work for Moreton with a 4-6 first set before David Enticknap and Kyle McDonald levelled with a 6-4 set of their own. In the final set the honours went to the home players who had found their stride taking the set 6-3 and the rubber with it.

Bruce Paxton and Tony Branfield were next into battle against Wellington’s Kyle McDonald and Paul Clarke. This proved to be a close rubber with the first set going to Moreton 5-6 before Wellington responded with 6-4 in the second. The deciding set again went down to the wire but fell eventually to the visitors 5-6.

The fate of the match went to the last rubber which saw John Tacchi and Peter Wilson face John Amor and Paul Clarke for the hosts. This rubber was more one sided with the home pair taking two sets 6-2, 6-2 tying the match 2-2.

Our thanks to Wellington for hosting us we enjoyed our matches and all agreed that the court played well and is a great addition to the Real tennis world.